The present invention relates to a system for monitoring foreign matter (foreign particles) where its base system collectively receives and processes foreign matter detection signals from foreign matter monitoring optical heads mounted in many process processing apparatuses (many process processing apparatuses) forming a manufacture line of semiconductors or the like, a process processing apparatus and an electronic transaction method (a method of electronic commerce) using the system for monitoring foreign matter.
There are known conventional techniques concerning foreign matter monitoring systems as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 5-218163 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,459) (Prior Art 1), 6-258239 (Prior Art 2), 8-250385 (corresponding to U.S. application. Ser. No. 08/617,270) (Prior Art 3), 8-250569 (corresponding to U.S. application. Ser. No. 08/617,270) (Prior Art 4).
In Prior Arts 1 and 2, an inline foreign matter monitor system is described. In this case, compact foreign matter monitors are set up in the inlets/outlets of process processing apparatuses or in transport areas between process processing apparatuses in a volume production semiconductor manufacture process line and a foreign matter control system takes in foreign matter data from the compact foreign matter monitors to provide foreign matter control on a single wafer basis. In Prior Arts 3 and 4, an on-machine foreign matter monitor system is described. In this system, a process processing apparatus has a foreign matter monitor mounted therein to measure foreign matters sticking to works before and after they are processed therein so that foreign matters sticking to works are under control on an each lot or work basis and, based on the result of measurement, it is determined whether works supplied into the process processing apparatus should be stopped or not.
Technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-145900 (Prior Art 5) is known as a conventional technique for compact foreign matter monitors. According to Prior Art 5, compact foreign matter monitors are placed where they are accessible by the arms of robots which are fixed between a vacuum process room and a loader and between a vacuum process room and an unloader. In addition, a vacuum process apparatus is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-259259 (Prior Art 6). A vacuum process apparatus according to this prior art has a load lock room to relay a workpiece, a process room to process a workpiece, an inspection room having a foreign matter monitor installed therein and a platform having transport means to transfer a workpiece among the load lock room, process room and inspection room.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-275688 (Prior Art 7), failure analysis technique is described. According to this prior art for semiconductor wafers and the like, a foreign matter inspection apparatus, an appearance inspection apparatus and a probing inspection apparatus are connected to an appearance failure analysis apparatus via each analysis station and a product design support system and a data input terminal are connected to the appearance failure analysis apparatus. To clarify a causal relationship, the apparatus failure analysis apparatus compares the fail bit data acquired from the probing inspection apparatus with the appearance defect information acquired from the appearance inspection apparatus.